Mahnoor Ijaz Rathore

Mahnoor, from Lahore, Pakistan, is trained as a human rights and minority lawyer. She received her LLB (Hons.) from the University of London. Since high school Mahnoor has actively volunteered and worked with various NGOs, community and government based organizations on a range of issues including education, gender equality, gender based violence, women’s rights, the right to a fair trial, disability issues, HIV/AIDS, and freedom of religion.

Mahnoor is also a women’s rights activist and co-founded the Pakistan chapter of Chayn in 2013. Chayn is an open-source project that leverages technology to empower women against violence and oppression. She is also a member of Chayn’s Executive Team. Mahnoor has also been volunteering with Lensational.org. It aims to empower females by teaching them photography.

In 2014, Mahnoor was selected as one of the fellows for the Emerging Leaders of Pakistan Fellowship. In 2013, she was invited to the International Criminal Law Seminar organized by United Nations Inter-regional Crime and Research Institute (UNICRI). Mahnoor has also participated in the Harvard Project for Asia and International Relations Conference in 2013. In recognition of Mahnoor’s contributions to causes close to her heart, she has been awarded by Shalamar Hospital and by Rising Sun Institute for Special Children for her social services in planning children’s programmes and fund-raising, and has received the Duke of Edinburgh Award for Services to Society in 2013.

Mahnoor loves to debate, write and is a keen photographer. Her ambition is to earn a Master’s Degree in Human Rights Law.